Rep. Meeks Statement on North Korean Summit

Washington, DC - Today, Senior Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. Representative Gregory W. Meeks, issued the following statement regarding the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore:

“Denuclearization of North Korea is of utmost importance, not just to our National Security, but the safety of all our allies in the region. Any step towards that end is commendable, insofar as it results in meaningful actions to accomplish our goals.

“Nevertheless, it is unclear what or if the U.S. has received anything in return for the accolades and compromises Trump conceded to President Kim Jong Un. What few details we’ve gleaned from President Trump’s press conference are far from comprehensive, let alone articulated in the signed agreement. Highly concerning is Trump’s announcement of the end of U.S.-South Korea defensive military exercises without any warning to our allies, discussion with Congress, or explanation to the American people.

“I am deeply disturbed that in the last few days, President Trump has further demonstrated to the world his sharp disregard for the American values that our nation has fought so hard to uphold globally through strong leadership and commitment to our allies who share and amplify those values.

“In his rush to claim success in denuclearizing North Korea, President Trump has mistaken deference for diplomacy, yielding concessions and praise not yet earned by Kim Jong Un. In so doing, he has legitimized a murderous dictator guilty of egregious human rights horrors against his own people. Meanwhile, Trump has shown nothing but contempt to our closest allies in G7, who extol the virtues of democracy and have bled in our wars.

“Although I remain optimistic that new diplomatic efforts can yield results, yesterday’s summit has further tempered my expectations of a deal which meets the high standards established by past denuclearization agreements. It is clear that Congress must stridently conduct thorough oversight as the administration moves forward, and that will require my Republican colleagues to be assertive with President Trump in ways they have been unwilling to so far.”